News

HMRC has published a list of ‘deliberate tax defaulters’ on its website this week, as part of its continued attempt to crack down on tax evasion.

The list, which contains the details of 15 individuals and small businesses owing a total of £4.6m in tax, is the second of its kind. The first list was published in February 2013.

Among those ‘named and shamed’ are umbrella product, Paymaster Ltd – which was withdrawn from the market in November 2012 – which faces a penalty of £1.12m for a £2m tax bill, a permanent and temporary recruitment agency, which has been fined £66,561.26 for failing to pay £111,189 in taxes and a Birmingham-based construction labour supplier, which faces a £356,220 penalty for an unpaid tax bill of £508,887.

The details of a kebab shop owner in Peterborough, a Tandoori restaurant and takeaway in Blackpool and a painter and labour provider in Belfast have also been released.

HMRC publishes the details of individuals and small businesses that owe more than £25,000 and have been fined for making deliberate errors on their tax returns or ‘deliberately failing to comply with their tax obligations’.

Phil Berwick, a partner at law firm Pinsent Masons, said: ‘HMRC is sending a message that if a business or individual fails to co-operate with them, not only will they be named and shamed, they could be hit with a huge fine.

‘Businesses or individuals need to take advantage of any opportunity HMRC gives them to co-operate on tax irregularities before they get hit by a penalty,’ he added.